A review by motherbooker
Otter Chaos by Philip Reeve, Sarah McIntyre

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 Did I buy this book because of the pun in the title? Absolutely. Thankfully, it was a lot more than just stupid wordplay. It's a super cute and fun children's book about a brave group of mice. Our protagonist Pedro is a young mouse who has always dreamed of going on adventures. So he leaves home and, after an initial mishap, joins a band of mice called the Adventuremice. Each one has a special skill that helps them carry out reduces and adventures. They have taken up the task of keeping the residents of Mouse Islands safe. Just after Pedro arrives, a dangerous otter appears and the Adventuremice must do what they can to keep everyone safe. Will Pedro finally get the chance to prove himself or will this dangerous foe be too much for him?

Obviously, this is a book for younger readers so it's not doing anything remarkable. Most older readers will be able to guess where it's going before they even start it. However, that doesn't really matter. The characters are great and it does exactly what it needed to do for the intended readers. It is an exciting story about courage and reaching your potential. Pedro is young and the Adventuremice underestimate him. He is determined to prove his worth and doesn't give up. Obviously, the moral of the story is wrapped up in plenty of silliness and fun. It also introduces us to a great world and some fantastic characters. As the start of a series, this shows some great potential and I'd happily look into any future instalments.

The illustrations are also incredibly cute and I loved the addition of a drawing guide at the end. This is the kind of book that young readers would absolutely love and the fact that it has added features will only help them engage more. The book is fast-paced and always moving forward. There is plenty of humour and fun so parents and kids will enjoy this one.